COOKIES

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the  flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
2. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, or use a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for a few seconds until light and creamy.  Add the sugar and beat on high speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture no longer feels grainy or gritty when rubbed between your fingers.  It should be light and creamy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium-high for about 1 minute until all ingredients are well combined.  Add the dry ingredients and sour cream alternately, beginning and ending with the dry, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Do not overmix!!  As soon as the dry ingredients are incorporated, stop mixing.
3. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight.  I like to make the dough a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator.  Drop scoopfuls onto cookie sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.  Although these cookies do rise quite a bit, they also spread.  Also, place the remaining dough back in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
6. Bake cookies in the center of the oven until they are golden brown on the bottoms and spring back when lightly pressed on top with your finger, about 13 minutes.  The tops will only be slightly browned.
7. Immediately transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool.  Make sure your cookie sheets are completely cooled before dropping more cookie dough onto them.
8. Once cookies are completely cooled, frost them with vanilla buttercream frosting or use your favorite flavor.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer, or use a hand mixer.  Beat on high for about 1 minute until the butter is light and creamy.  Mix in the vanilla, salt, and half & half or milk.  Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, while mixing at low speed.  Once the sugar is added, turn the mixer to medium-high and mix until smooth and creamy.
2. If adding food coloring, add it now.  I used a total of 5 drops.  I added one drop at a time and mix well after each drop until I got the color I was looking for.  Make sure you stop and scrape down the sides and go under the bottom with your spatula, before adding more food coloring.
3. Frost the cookies, using a spoon or offset spatula.  This frosting makes enough to pile it on high, but if you don’t want that much frosting, feel free to cut the recipe in half.  If you’re using sprinkles, drop them on the cookies as soon as you frost them, before the frosting has time to set up.
4. Once the frosting has set up, store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.